OREANDA-NEWS. May 31, 2010. This was announced at the press conference in Moscow by the president of the nonprofit organization "Association of the alcohol market participants" ("AURA") Valery Katukov following the joint meeting of the Russian producers and importers with their counterparts from Moldova on improving safety and quality of wine and wine materials imported into the territory of Russia.

As of May 2010, the share of Moldovan wines in structure of Moldavian wine imports in Russia is 17,5% and as of early 2010-12%, respectively. Thus, in summer 2010 the position of Moldovan suppliers has improved from the third up to the second place after France (21,5-22%). According to the Director of the Russian Research Center of the federal and regional alcohol markets Vadim Drobiz, in 2005, Moldova imported to Russia 200 million liters of bottled wine (250 million bottles), i.e. every second bottle of wine in the import structure and each fourth at the Russian wine market was imported from Moldova.

Besides, Russia has imported 50 million liters of wine materials from Moldova. In 2008 the share of Moldovan wine exports to Russia reached 9-10%, 12-13% in 2009 and 13-14% in I quarter of 2010. Vadim Drobiz agreed with the AURA assessment that already in May 2010 Moldovan wines are ahead Bulgaria in the structure of imports to Russia. Meanwhile, total imports of wines in Russia has declined during the economic crisis and amounted to 210 million liters in 2009, including 25-27 million liters of Moldavian wines (except for the wine materials). Vadim Drobiz is sure that in 2010 the Moldovan suppliers will rank the first in the list of countries importing wines to Russia: about 17-18% or not less than 35 million liters (except for the wine materials).

Valery Katukov noted that till the ban imposed by Rospotrebnadzor on the imports of Moldovan wines to Russian Federation, the share of Moldovan wines exceeded 25% involving 144 importers. To date 44 Moldavian wine companies (20 actually operating) are certified to export wines to Russia and AURA hopes that their number will increase. In addition, the Moldovan importers hope that in summer 2010 two customs border terminals- in Leningrad region and Bryansk will start operation.

The relevant discussions are held between the governments of two countries. Since 2008, Moldovan wines go through the customs clearance through one post - in Moscow in the Central Excise Customs. At the same time, AURA is currently going to address to the chief state sanitary doctor Gennady Onishchenko and the Prime Minister Vladimir Putin with a request to remove the political factor in this regard.

It was noted that the chief sanitary doctor Gennady Onishchenko recently announced that he is not ready to cooperate with the state structures of the new government of Moldova. At the same time, Valery Katukov warned the business community about the risk of losing the Russian market in case of failure to supply high quality alcohol beverages by the Moldovan enterprises.